


In Your Arms (We'll Make It Through)

by x_Lazart_x



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Cuddles, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Lydia understands, Sleepovers, Stiles needs help sleeping, Stydia Friendship, s3b spoilers, stiles/lydia/cora friendship, we find out where cora is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-07
Packaged: 2018-01-07 20:44:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1124189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/x_Lazart_x/pseuds/x_Lazart_x
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lydia understands about the nightmares and feeling as if you are going insane. So she offers Stiles the comfort that she can, even if its only cuddles at night. When Cora comes crashing back into their lives, they know things are about to get worse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Your Arms (We'll Make It Through)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [michellicopter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/michellicopter/gifts).



It was a situation that was borne from desperation. The desperation to pretend that everything was normal, that he could sleep a whole night without waking up screaming, that this wasn’t wearing on his Dad. That’s how it had started.   
  
More than anything Stiles liked to be honest with himself. Everyone else he could lie through his teeth to, insist that he was alright but he couldn’t delude himself. Though it was so tempting. After a week of no sleep and hallucinations, Lydia called them out at school. All three of them were having the same problems and she wasn’t taking any of their bullshit. When it came to Lydia it was best to just go along with it.   
  
Thus when she suggested that they start studying at night, maybe looking through the bestiary and some other old books that they’d each acquired over the last few months, well who was he to refuse. Neither of them mentioned the fact that she usually insisted on doing this when his Dad was on the night shift and he’d have otherwise been alone. He also chose to overlook the relief that softened his Dad’s face when he told him he wouldn’t be spending the nights alone.   
  
To be fair they did study and research, at least a little. In the beginning. That first night he’d fallen asleep at the table, lulled to sleep by the lord of the rings soundtrack that he’d insisted Lydia put on because it helped him think. That fact that she’d complied should have been suspect. But she did. Between that and the tea she gave him, the warm blanket that she draped over his shoulder nonchalantly, it pulled him under. Just for him to wake up screaming some time in the night, for a hand to be stroking his arm soothingly. Lydia didn’t say anything, she didn’t whisper false assurances. When he went through his ritual of counting fingers and grabbing the nearest book to make sure he understood the letters, she didn’t scoff or say anything. Just stood by his side patiently.   
  
Suddenly he understood with a new clarity what it must have been like for her. Waking up in strange places, zoning out and feeling like she was losing her mind. And she’d never wanted to talk about it, but now he got that. It was incredibly private to feel like you were losing your mind, losing yourself to this unknown darkness. He was better off than she’d been, he at least knew the nemesis was to blame for this.   
  
The need to tell her how brave she was, how courageous and strong. How much he admired her, just for being who she was. As a friend, nothing more, was overwhelming. But she wouldn’t want to hear that. When he’d calmed down and turned, her face said it all. That she completely understood. Everything he was feeling, everything he wanted to say but couldn’t allow himself to. She understood and didn’t need anything else. From that moment on things changed between them.   
  


* * *

  
  
When Stiles used to dream about Lydia, it was about their wedding and how big and fancy it would be. It was about stealing her away from Jackson (as if he could possibly steal her). And okay there were a few adult dreams in there too but he was a teenage boy what did you expect. That was all just six months ago. Now he dreamed about her holding him, comforting him. He dreamed about safety and friendship.   
  
So during their next study date, when she suggested (more like commanded) that they take a nap, all he felt was relief and affection. When she opened her arms and pulled him against her all he could do was melt and soak up the warmth. Falling asleep was so easy, just to let himself go to the darkness.   
  
And he still woke up screaming, soaked in sweat but now he didn’t have to pretend he was okay, that it was just a nightmare. He didn’t have to try and protect his Dad from the horror of what he was going through. Lydia knew all of it already, she’d lived it herself and he wasn’t expected to talk about it or anything. She just held him closer, soothing him back to sleep, letting him catch at least a few seconds of shut eye.   
  
They never talked about it. Never mentioned it to anyone else (not that it was any of their business). And while Stiles knew that sometimes Lydia stayed over with Allison, she was never invited to their study sessions. No one else was. Sure he felt a little guilty, thinking that maybe Scott could benefit too, but at the same time he knew it wouldn’t happen. That it wasn’t really even worth trying. But the thought stuck and despite the fact that they never brought it up, he was glad that this was something between the two of them. This sort of weakness, he didn’t think he could share it even with Scott, who had enough burdens to bear as it was.   
  
The expectation stuck that this would stay between them, that it was just a Stiles and Lydia thing. At least thats what he thought until Cora came crashing back into their lives.   
  


* * *

  
  
That particular night they were in Stiles room, just cuddling in the bed, while the tv was on to some documentary. Not that either of them were really watching it. Just trying to relax and let go of some tension.   
  
The sound of scratching from outside didn’t immediately alarm them, the possibility of Scott or Isaac dropping by not completely out of the ordinary. But the slightly feral snarl and the sound of something ramming into the outside wall had all the alarm bells ringing. As he scrambled to grab his wolfsbane that he kept close and Lydia jumped off the bed, his window shattered and a familiar body came tumbling through.   
  
Cora Hale was shaking, literally. Her clothes were in tatters, her skin was painted in blood and the look of confusion and fear on her face were enough to tell them that something was terribly wrong.   
  
Through much coaxing they learned that they’d been attacked, tricked by a pack that Peter had assured them was trustworthy. Derek had attacked and ordered her to run, so despite her best judgement she had. Ran from the only family she had left when they needed her the most. And somehow she’d ended up here. Derek told her to keep safe and she’d ended up in his bedroom.   
  
Exhaustion had her swaying where she stood and they both knew it was hopeless to try and get any useful information out of her. Derek apparently needed their help but as much as they wanted to there was nothing they could do right that second. So they did what came naturally to them.   
  
Stiles grabbed an old t-shirt and shorts, before gently helping Lydia to peel away the layers of clothes from Cora’s skin where they had dried on.  While Lydia helped her with her underwear, he left the room to give her some privacy, grabbing some wet towels to help get the dried blood off her skin.   
  
They treated her carefully, as if she could break at any second, though Stiles knew that was the farthest thing from the truth. The only reason they could do any of this was because Cora was allowing it. As soon as she was semi clean she clambered into the bed and gave them her best bitch face until the joined her.   
  
With one of them at each side they pressed into her as close as possible, trying to convey that they would help. No matter what they would get Derek back. That her family was going to be okay. That she was okay. They’d keep her safe because she was one of them now. And above all else they looked after each other.   
  
Like that they coaxed her to sleep. Knowing that the next few weeks would only get darker, that hard times were in front of them. But it was worth it. For this it was worth all the pain. And so they slowly followed her into slumber, curled up in each others arms.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is [here](http://x-lazart-x.tumblr.com/) Come say hi or give me a prompt!


End file.
